College Football to Deregulate Championship Game Restrictions for 2016

[itgoeslike]

I think the idea for the ACC is to avoid having a dud win one division and be in the championship game. They would rather have the two teams with the best overall records at the end of conference play meet, instead of a team with a 5-3 record playing while someone with a 7-1 records is eliminated by being second in a division.

It actually goes a step further by helping the top team in the ACC avoid having to play an opponent that has a relatively low power ranking and/or is unranked. To stay in the hunt for a top four slot, it's likely the top ACC team needs a victory over a top 15 team to stay in the hunt, especially if other conference champions are beating a top ten opponent in the final week of the season.

 

[B1GOSU]

There has always been an allowance for odd numbered divisions. The MAC has 13 schools - 7 in the East and 6 in the West. Until UMass is kicked out next year, the MAC has had this arrangement for years (going back to when Temple was #13 instead of UMass, and going back to when UCF was #13 before Temple).

Three divisions would be something new though.